Lifestyle Blog

October 27, 2014

How I Ruined My Health and Almost Killed My Creativity

October 27, 2014

Hi guys! I know, I know, it’s been TEN months since my last blog. How did that happen??! You sent emails, and left comments asking where I’ve been and when am I going to start blogging again? Well, let me explain. A lot has been going on.

By the end of last year I found myself overworked, exhausted and in poor health. While balancing a full time job, graphic design clients, photography shoots, blogging, family and friends, I completely forgot to take care of myself. I was on insulin battling type II diabetes, high cholesterol meds and worst of all, I didn’t recognize the person in the mirror anymore. I was in bad shape, and not just physically but mentally too. I let all of these ‘responsibilities’ take over my life and didn’t make myself the priority. I was drained and becoming completely uninterested in blogging, design or anything else.

I think as women, we sometimes feel like we’re being selfish if we focus on ourselves. We have so many obligations that it’s easy to just give, give, give. Well I’m telling you right now that it’s okay to be selfish! Focusing on being the best you and taking care of yourself is going to improve your relationships, increase your productivity and fuel your creativity. Trust me!

Once I’d decided to get my life back on track, I realized I had to purge. Here are a few of the items on my list that had to go!

1. Workload – remove all the extra activities until I’m able to balance
2. Social life – this was hard, but had to remove the temptation of happy hours and dining out
3. Bad Habits – eating junk, not cooking, staying up late
4. Weight – time to start working out and get educated on nutrition
5. Home – declutter and throw away
6. The inability to say ‘No” – I realized I was stretching myself thin with trying to please everyone.

and what I added…

1. Meditation and Prayer
2. Eating Whole, Juicing and Meal Prepping – Check out my Pinterest for recipes
3. A macronutrient calculator – I use MyFitnessPal
3. 2-3 days of running and 3 days of Bootcamp training
4. 8 hours of sleep (this just kind of happens after an hour of squats and burpees 🙂 )
5. Regular Doctor’s visits for guidance and blood work

I’m not going to say that this journey has been easy. It takes a lot of discipline and courage, but just know that you can do it. If I can do it, you can do it! In just 10 months, I’ve now dropped 4 dress sizes and diabetes is one pill away from being my past medical history. I feel balanced, healthy, organized and ready to conquer the world!

Please ladies (and gents) make yourself a priority and take care of your mind and body. Use me as an example. You don’t want to let your health go because the rest of your life will suffer. If you have questions or need extra motivation, feel free to comment here or send me a message. Let’s all get fit together!

Soooo, back to business. I can’t wait to talk about interiors, design, fashion and all that good stuff. Plus, I’m going to start sharing some of my healthy meals. Who knew that eating healthy could taste so good, right?! Also, look out for more posts on my fitness journey as it continues. I do hope that sharing my journey will encourage others to start theirs.

—

FYI, my blog name is in the process of changing to blog.angelaflournoy.co. Please update the link in your blog reader apps. Glad to be back guys! =) hugs n’ kisses!!

*Please note, I’m not a professional. These are just a few things that worked for me that I hope will encourage you.

You have always been beautiful inside outward..thanks for sharing and being an awesome motivational tool for us to live our best life……I was just gonna sit my butt down but instead I’m going jogging as we speak!

Yes, yes, and YAAAAAS! Thank you SO much for being so open and honest! You just don’t know how much of an inspiration this post is to me! Many of us have battled/are battling having to re-learn loving ourselves and the benefit of putting ourselves first. This is another reminder of just how important that is. Merci beaucoup!

Thanks for sharing Angela. You just spoke a word. As a divorced mother of two it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of work and chauffeuring the kids to their activities and allowing my own needs to go unattended. We all know that is a recipe for self-destruction. I appreciate your openness and again, thanks for the reminder that it’s okay to show yourself some love!! 😉
Welcome back hunty….you look fabulous!!

Stay Connected

I'm a creative soul with an affinity for beautiful photography, great design, funky patterns and modern interiors. I'm also obsessed with eating whole and living fit. This blog is my virtual space to share these loves with you. Welcome.